[Vwdiesel] Electric Oil Pressure Gage & wet floor

[William J Toensing]

My first VW diesel was bought new in 1979, European delivery. I installed an aftermarket oil pressure in that Rabbit bought from a speed shop in LA. As I recall, it was a mechanical rather than an electric gage. The first one with a range from 0 to 100 psi would always peg at start up. Replaced that gage with a 0 to 200 gage. If I recall correctly, start up was either 160 or 180 psi & revving the engine would peg the needle at 200 psi. upon warm up, idle was around 25  psi & would run around 40 psi at freeway speeds. My 1981 Jetta diesel will peg on start up with a 0 to 100 psi gage. The '82 Quantum will only go to 80 psi on starting & warm idle is around 20 psi. My guess from my VW diesels is that the first generation diesels had real high oil pressure based on my '79 Rabbit & '81 Dasher. Never had any problem with oil leakage & don't think an electric oil pressure sending unit would blow but beware of cheap oil filters such as Fram with thin metal. I have always ran Amsoil synthetic oil & used Amsoil oil filters which are heavy duty but couldn't in my 1985 Mazda 626 diesel as Amsoil didn't make a filter that would fit.
Bill Toensing, Nevada City, CA